Chasing Equations and Painting Radicals
by Aero-Cluster
Summary: the hardest thing to let go is the one you never really had. Sequel to Of Halcyon Days and Folded Paper Cranes.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here is the sequel that most of you had been asking for! :) Sorry it took a while for me to work on it, but hey, here it is finally! I was actually considering the comment of **color theory **and a **guest **who wrote a review that OHDAFC should stand alone. But then I told myself "How about the rest who wanted a happy ending?" :)**

**Just don't expect too much about this one, because I really prefer writing tragic love stories than the happily ever afters. (I honestly don't know why :D)**

**Anyway, thanks to you dear readers, I have gathered enough guts (LOL) to actually come up with this one.**

**Dedicated to:** Ein011, JeRza 3, GroundZeroFirework, grip on gravity, Guest 6/8, ScarletXxXKhrymi, Chairunnisa, Ash Lite-former EST, DiamondAnime, tammy, Y, Arcobaleno-lover, MissLime, .anime, Guest 6/10, guest 6/10, Jerza Fernandes, maya, ScarletOcean, dancingteddy, Anon, Guest 6/19 **and all the other readers who followed and added this story to their favorites.**

**Disclaimer: Fairy Tail© belongs to Hiro Mashima**

* * *

******Sequel to Of Halcyon Days and Folded Paper Cranes**

**Chasing Equations and Painting Radicals  
**_the hardest thing to let go is the one you never really had_

Erza could feel the water vapor clinging to the soft material of her clothes. The redhead stripped down, leaving nothing on as she swiftly floated off to the stratosphere. Soon she arrived at the point between heaven and earth.

The Event Horizon.

She closed her eyes, her mortal skin burning and glowing from the immense pressure of heat and light. It was an unpleasant feeling, however it was necessary for her to return to her ethereal state. Her rosy mundane complexion got peeled off as a new layer of translucent skin covered her entire being. The War Goddess could feel her powers returning to her in an instant as her eyes adjusted to the blinding white rays of light that bathed the entrance back to where she had always belonged to.

She had finally ascended to the Heavens.

Waves of dazzling pure color radiated from the expanse of the sky as pillars of clear liquid held the vast and endless space of the holy realms together, acting like gravity. Somehow, the redhead goddess found the place foreign.

_No. I have stayed far too long in the human world. This must be the underlying effect_.

Back in Earthland, Erza had finally decided that she was going to confront the three gods who were responsible for her bittersweet escapades and so, she made use of the snow-flecked dust to immediately transport herself to the place where she could find them.

Three mighty looking personas stood before her—one clad in strips of white-hot flames, the other dressed in twinkling spheres of fire and the last one clothed in diaphanous streams of frozen liquid.

"Erza," the male god known as Natsu greeted. "I believe you've found Earthland to be quite an interesting domain yes?"

"And I believe you've found my absence quite fascinating as well, did you not?" she frowned, her bronze eyes blazing in pent up rage. "Why send me to the human world? Why send me to...to him?"

"Jellal Fernandes," Erza flinched as the familiar name slithered out of the Ice God's lips. "He was a loyal believer and follower, until we took everything away from him. We thought that his faith in us would deepen but alas we seemed to have miscalculated that part."

Gray's ice cold orbs sliced through her sienna ones and the hollowness of his vision almost sent her stumbling backwards.

"You feel for that man?" the female goddess, Lucy nonchalantly asked.

Silence enveloped the extensive halls of the Heavens when Erza failed to respond.

"You have become emotionally attached to the humans. Specifically to that blue-haired earthling." Lucy stated as she grabbed Erza's transparent hand. "This is the first time we've actually seen you elicit an emotion my dear friend." she smiled as the two gods beside her offered a warm smile as well.

Erza frowned in confusion because clearly she knew that gods and goddesses were void of emotions.

"We all have emotions Erza, you were the only one who closed your heart to the wonderful feeling of having to feel. That is the reason why we sent you to Earthland." Natsu placed a hand on his equal's shoulder. "Now it is all up to you if you wish to return to your infallible state that which you were so proud of during the past eons, or embrace your newly discovered inner self."

The War Goddess thought long and hard about what she really wanted, and it was not about restoring her holiness nor embracing the feelings she picked up in the human world. She wanted none of those.

"I wish to be with him." her voice croaked and the three heavenly beings held back a sharp intake of breath.

"Erza, our love for the humans can never be destined to one." Gray slowly reminded the goddess about their fate.

"I believe there is a way." Erza's face suddenly lit up as an idea crossed her mind. "The Master told me that a God or a Goddess could sin deliberately to lose their sacredness and thus become fallen and...human."

The Goddess of the Stars gripped both the flame-haired goddess' wrists to catch her attention. "Are you willing to sacrifice your divinity for that? Once you've fallen, there is no turning back." she warned.

Erza was determined and this was the first time the three celestial beings saw the Queen of Fairies, the War Goddess risk something valiant such as honor and divinity for a mere human being.

"How are you going to do that exactly?" Gray asked, feeling chills run up his spine.

Natsu smiled as he pulled off a strip of white-hot flame from his wardrobe and prepared to wrap it around the flame-haired goddess.

"This will lead you directly to the Master, once you're there, try your best to convince him of your mundane fantasies and if he refuses, I think you already know what to do."

Erza smiled as she felt the heat surging through her entire body, flowing through the transparent structure of her frame evenly. In a blast powerful than a supernova could produce, she was gone in an instant, leaving the three celestial beings all by themselves.

"Best of luck, Erza." they whispered in unison.

* * *

"You want to become human?" the Master's voice was so clear and subtle that Erza nearly trembled.

"Yes, Master." she kept her head low and wished for the best. After all it was out of character if she acted on pure instinct by having to lose her divinity in a blasphemous way when she could apparently ask permission to the God of the Heavens first.

"Very well."

_Eh?_

"I beg your pardon my Lord?"

"I'll allow it my child."

Erza felt her heart tightening and expanding at the same time due to the joy and happiness overflowing and overwhelming her from within.

"But," the low rumble of God told her that it won't be for free. "It comes with a price."

"What is it my Lord?"

"You shall lose what is most valuable to you."

_Oh, is he talking about my divinity?_

She puffed her chest out and stood up gallantly.

"I am most willing to."

The Master merely nodded at this as he waved a hand. A portal eventually appeared and she was ready to step in, ready to be back to the foreign land which she had learned to love, ready to meet the humble office worker Jellal Fernandes once more when something important popped out of her mind.

"Thank you Master. A-Aren't you going to ask me why I am doing this?"

The Master embraced her and placed his hand on top of her scarlet hair.

"My child, I created you, I know that everything you do, you do for love."

She smiled and stepped into the waiting portal. She relayed her message of goodbye to the other gods and goddesses who wished her all the best and soon she found herself falling into an endless abyss.

* * *

The first thing that Erza noticed when she regained consciousness was the tiled bathroom floor—an utterly familiar view that had her jumping in the process.

She was back on Earth.

And she was back in _his_ apartment.

She was busy assessing herself in the mirror, checking for possible complications during the dimensional transfer when all of a sudden the doorknob turned.

A man clad in nothing but black slacks entered and Erza, seeing the all too familiar tattoo and the ultramarine locks jumped at him.

The man grunted in pain as his back hit the cold floor and gaped in shock as the woman—who was busy showering him kisses—was stark naked.

"Oh Jellal! I've missed you so much!" she cradled his head on both the palms of her hands and softly planted butterfly kisses on his face.

"Wow, is it my birthday?" Jellal smiled handsomely as he relished the feeling of the beautiful female lying on top of him. Erza giggled in response and looked him in the eyes. She sighed in contentment as his viridian orbs glinted with the same hue as she remembered.

"You're always the smooth talker," she teased, lightly tracing the contours of his well-defined muscles on the expanse of his chest. "Aren't you surprised to see me at all?"

Jellal pulled her down for a passionate kiss and Erza let out a sound that she never knew she was capable of producing.

"Of course I'm surprised! Who wouldn't be if a stunning lady such as you—naked—would just jump at me?" he chuckled and the redhead pressed their bodies together in an attempt to make up for the time they lost.

"Oh Jellal...I've really missed you so much."

The ultramarine grabbed her gently by the shoulders and lifted her up, high enough to look at her face.

"You keep calling me by my first name,"

He smirked handsomely and Erza nearly melted in his arms were it not for the continuation of his statement.

"Do I know you?"

She froze and then she remembered the Master's words.

_You shall lose what is most valuable to you._

His memories.

His love.

They're gone.

Lost.

He had forgotten all about her.

* * *

**A/N: Now now, this isn't the end. Aaaaand it's short I know :( LOL. This is going to be a multi-chap story with a lot of twists and turns :) I hope I hadn't butchered your expectations. *fingers crossed* So what do you think? :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sequel to Of Halcyon Days and Folded Paper Cranes**

**Chasing Equations and Painting Radicals  
**_the hardest thing to let go is the one you never really had_

_Do I know you?_

She let the words sink right into the depths of her mind and let the seconds tick away unceremoniously as she fumbled for a proper reaction.

_Do I know you?_

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.

.

_Does this mean he doesn't remember me?!_

_._

_._

_._

Erza let out a nervous laughter and shook the man's shoulders viciously.

"This is what they call a joke right? You're kidding, right?"

Jellal grasped her waist firmly and helped both themselves to their feet. He took a towel slung on the curtain rod and wrapped it carefully around her figure. Erza was too focused on his face that she barely managed to register the chivalrous action offered and done by the ultramarine.

"I'm sorry but, this is the first time I've seen you." Erza felt her body freeze in an instant, the soft cloth material barely providing the warmth and heat she needed.

"B-But what about our first date? The nights we've shared? The kiss?" Her voice raised in a desperate tone to try and help him remember. Anything would do. Anything at all! The redhead didn't expect the half-naked man to react, but it caught her off guard when the ultramarine burst into fits of laughter. She eyed him, confused and tensed all of a sudden. Jellal recovered almost after the sudden outburst and ruffled her scarlet locks.

"Oh right, I kind of have a habit of forgetting the women I slept with."

"Excuse me?" she choked out.

"Who are you again? Uh, Jenny? Mira?"

"What are you saying—"

"Look, if it's money that you want, I can give it to you." he squared his shoulders and put on a more serious look. "But if it's something more than that, I'm telling you this now. You're just another notch on my bedpost."

Erza didn't budge. She couldn't move. Couldn't react.

"A what now?"

She still was however, an alien to the English language and metaphors since the once flame-haired goddess only had limited time and experience spent on Earth.

"A notch on my bedpost."

"I'm sorry I don't quite—"

The ultramarine grabbed her wrist in an attempt to elaborate his point.

"It just means that you're just one of those whores I've fucked. Had sex with, had—"

SLAP!

A brutal slap had his head turning sharply to the side when the palm of her hand met the fleshy skin of his face.

He smiled, a satisfied grin plastered on his handsome face.

"Now that's the reaction I've been looking for."

The redhead also felt the stinging sensation from the impact, but what concerned her most and worried her were the dreaded taste of lead in her mouth, the lump stuck in her throat and the searing pools of liquid threatening to coat her bronze orbs.

This was not the Jellal she loved.

"You really don't...remember?"

A tear slipped from her eye as her voice trembled.

Jellal raised a hand, and pointed to the direction of his bathroom door.

"Get out of my apartment."

* * *

_You shall lose what is most valuable to you._

Erza ran. She ran until she reached the door. Ran until the rain poured down and wet her figure. Ran until mud and dirt clung to her feet. Ran until she felt her lungs burning from lack of oxygen.

She was hurting.

And she had never felt devastation as a form of emotion. She all but thought tragedy was the result of wars and battles. She didn't know there was something much more painful than the wounds and losses from fights.

Rejection.

That was something she had to live by now that she's human.

From a powerful and eternal being, she became a fragile and delicate child of the ashes.

All that she wanted was to be with him and spend the rest of her human life in his arms yet this happened.

She bit back a sob and decided to settle down beside the dainty corner on the street.

_Was he robbed of his memories of me?_ She thought and all the while Erza didn't blame it on fate or destiny or whatever chance encounter and irreversible prophecy every human being believed in. There was only one thing in mind that had to be the reason.

The Gods and Goddesses.

She gritted her teeth.

_No. It couldn't be. How could I accuse them of such a horrible thought?_

The coldness of the gloomy weather hit her skin mercilessly and the raindrops pierced her like falling needles.

_Maybe I didn't exist._ Another speculation formed in her mind. _Maybe I didn't exist in this world. That the time I've spent here was just a figment of imagination!_

Hope lit up within her because she had found a comforting truth. She was about to believe, ready to accept that she had to start from scratch again, ready to accept that the world knew nothing of her when a dark-haired woman turned around the corner and noticed her.

The woman was familiar to Erza because she had definitely seen her somewhere from before.

Ultear Milkovich.

Jellal's boss.

Erza expected the same reaction from the female—void and emotionless, just like a normal person who had come across a beggar on the street.

Her theory was shattered to bits when the dark-haired woman gaped in shock and said the words that surprised the once heavenly being.

"Erza? Why are you only wearing that? Here." she shrugged her coat off and gave it to her, bringing the umbrella she held in one hand under both of them.

She knew her.

Ultear _knew_ her.

She nearly yelped in joy when at least one from the few people she had encountered remembered her.

"Ultear right?"

"Yes. Have you been to Jellal's apartment?"

Erza sulked and decided to shake her head. She couldn't bear the thought that Jellal's boss remembered her and yet he couldn't. Just what was up? Just what was real? Was it that her existence was erased? Or only the ultramarine's memories?

"Come on, let's go. You shouldn't be staying here with hardly anything on."

She thought Ultear would bring her to her house, thought she'd help her get back in one piece and solve the puzzle altogether.

The redhead watched confused as she guided her back to the place where she ran away from before. Finding that she couldn't read her thoughts or even the slightest hint of her intentions, she asked.

"We're going back to Jellal's house?"

Ultear smiled sincerely.

"Yes, I live there now."

* * *

The ultramarine held his cheek for the longest of time, feeling the pain bite further into his skin. He took a couple of steps back until he met the tiled wall.

He smiled bitterly to himself.

"It's been a year huh?" Jellal dropped to the floor, feeling his weight overwhelm him.

Regret and sorrow decorated his handsome face.

"Erza, why did you come back now of all times?"

* * *

**A/N: Hmmmm? Confused? Shocked? Thankful that this lazy author managed to update after an eternity? LOL. Sorry this chapter was short :( and I don't think I'll be able to update this weekly because of In A Heartbeat. Once that story is finished, you guys can rest easy as I WILL be updating this as often as possible. Your thoughts? Leave out your love people :D **


	3. Chapter 3

**WARNING: RAW FILE**

**Sequel to Of Halcyon Days and Folded Paper Cranes**

**Chasing Equations and Painting Radicals  
**_the hardest thing to let go is the one you never really had_

Lucy floated off aimlessly through the thick layers of water vapor, her mind blank due to the previous conversation that heated up between the three of them—mainly her, Natsu and Gray—and their Master.

.

.

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"WHY DID YOU ERASE THE HUMBLE WORKER'S MEMORY?" the Flame God's voice reverberated like thunder inside the vast walls of the Heavens.

"This was a first for her. Experiencing something like this." Gray kept a cool demeanor, but the fire in his eyes told anyone who could see his glinting orbs that he was holding his rage from the inside.

"Master?" Lucy was submissive and she knew better than the two Gods—who kept on spouting and shooting their mouths off like kids who lost their toys—that somehow, there was an explanation to what was happening down in Earthland. A deep sigh was the only response their Master could give them as a flick of a finger sent them all shuddering and whimpering to their knees, feeling a nauseous and traumatic feeling overwhelm their divine presence.

"Silence! I am your Master. Show some decency and respect first if you want a proper response. And," the Master's eyes narrowed to form slits and from this, the three young ethereal being bowed their heads even lower. "It was not I who erased Jellal Fernandes' memory."

Natsu was the first to recover from the fear and timidly asked the all-too-powerful being while trying his best to maintain eye contact.

"If it wasn't you Master, who did?"

The God of the Heavens scratched his chin and while frowning, he stated.

"Rather, his memory was not erased." The Master stood up and waved his hand to bring the three personas to their feet.

"Pardon? I don't quite get what you're saying My Lord." Lucy's face twisted as she searched for the answer.

"I did not erase Jellal Fernandes' memory. He was the one who deliberately pretended to have his memories of Erza gone."

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"We're here." Ultear giddily let Erza in.

She let her in Jellal's apartment.

Or was it _both_ their apartment now?

"Oh come with me. I'll spare you some clothes."

The thought of Ultear and Jellal living under the same roof, sharing the same room, the laughter, the tears, the moments, the days, the hours the minutes, the seconds...it pained her so much that she nearly cried again. Thankfully, the wars trained her for situations dreadful as this. She just wished that somehow, miraculously, her emotions too were prepared for matters of the heart.

"So, what were you doing outside with hardly anything on?" She offered the redhead some white shirt and jeans and Erza immediately put them on.

The War Goddess didn't respond and Ultear just watched silently as she remained still like a statue standing and staring into space.

"Perhaps some tea might help you."

She gently pulled her wrist as she dragged her down to the kitchen. It was right then and there that they bumped into Jellal with his own steaming cup, his hair disheveled from his shower and his towel slung on the length of his neck.

"Ultear you're home and..." his sea green eyes wandered to the left as a striking color commanded his attention.

Erza was still in high hopes that everything was planned out. That everything was a joke. That they both were just kidding. And then she'd get mad but forgive them anyway, and have a good laugh. And finally, Jellal would welcome her with open arms and everything would be back to normal.

"You again?" his voice tore through Erza.

She approached the ultramarine once again, this time tears streaming unabashedly down her face.

The redhead whirled her head swiftly to face Ultear and prodded the woman's arm.

"Jellal! Ultear remembers me! Your boss remembers me! Yet you—how come you couldn't?!"

The ultramarine's face remained impassive even when she wailed and threw a fit.

Nothing was reaching him.

It was Ultear who stopped the redhead's tantrums as she hugged her to keep her explosive emotions in check.

When she calmed down a bit, Ultear softly spoke.

"Jellal doesn't remember you."

Erza stopped momentarily as she took the news in.

_He had really forgotten all about me..._

She sobbed and glanced to where Jellal was still standing. His cup held firmly by strong fingers and his expression unfazed.

The redhead looked back at Ultear who ran her nimble appendages along the length of her scarlet hair, regaining back her unparalleled and undivided attention.

"Jellal," her voice was soft, like velvet and sweet as honey. Erza looked at Jellal again as she took in the words of the lady who robbed her of proper words and her shaky breath

"He has amnesia."

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Lucy watched as Natsu ate the last remaining sparks of sunlight and she now prepared to cast the stars in the evening sky. She wearily sighed while she decorated the vast space with spherical flames, finally managing to bring forth night.

"Oh Erza, in the end, you're going to wish you were still a goddess..."

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**A/N: First of all I would like to say sorry because it took me an eternity to update. :'((( Second, because this one is short and third, because this is the raw file that I failed to edit and proofread because of my hectic schedule. UGH. Anyway, done with this! I know this barely makes up for the lost time but I just hope I stirred and agitated your brain cells a bit. Like Jellal has amnesia and what the hell was Lucy spouting. :D**

**Thanks for those who are still patiently waiting for my updates. :D ****Leave out your love people!**

** To those who had given up, I'm sorry to have failed your expectations. :(**


	4. Chapter 4

**WARNING: RAW FILE**

**Sequel to Of Halcyon Days and Folded Paper Cranes**

**Chasing Equations and Painting Radicals  
**_the hardest thing to let go is the one you never really had_

* * *

She looked outside.

_It's pouring._She noticed.

Amnesia.

Jellal has amnesia.

Somehow, in that tiny and miniscule part of her mind, she felt relieved.

Relieved that Jellal didn't deliberately choose to forget about her.

Relieved that somehow, it wasn't completely Jellal's fault for denying her very existence.

She smiled at herself and sank deeper into the soft material of the mattress.

Right now she was staying inside one of the apartment's guest room.

The redhead heaved off an exhausted sigh as the previous events flashed back from her mind.

* * *

"Amnesia?" Erza could feel that her lips were trembling. And this was, apparently, not from the cold that the rain had previously brought upon her, but from the groundbreaking news that was just dropped off without warning.

The ultramarine scrunched his brows in the process and suddenly looked at Erza expectantly.

The former goddess saw the familiar glint of anger sparkling in his eyes, but beyond that gut-wrenching truth, she saw something that was absent prior to mentioning his current mental condition.

Sympathy.

"Who are you...really?"

The question made Erza want to take him in her arms and tell him that everything's going to be alright. To tell him that she'd be more than willing to take the responsibility of refreshing his memories even if it takes up most of her lifetime. But before she could utter a word, the dark-haired woman beat her to it.

"She's someone special to you Jellal." Ultear spoke softly.

Erza wanted to breakdown.

Right at that very moment, she saw how the ultramarine's face softened for the first time.

"Do you remember? Even a little?" came Ultear's soothing voice, and from this, Jellal just stared at the redhead who was busy scanning his face for any signs that he might had recovered—even a tiny little bit would give her the faintest hope.

He slowly shook his head, and Erza's heart sank even more from the grief and pain and whatnot that we humans coin as negative emotions.

Ultear sighed as she ran her nimble fingers along her dark tresses.

"I think we all had a rough day. We should really get some rest. We'll sort things out in the morning." she faced Erza and the redhead was staring blindly into space. "Erza, you can take the guest room in the meantime."

She didn't protest.

She nodded then turned her back on both of them, proceeded to his so-called guest room without waiting for his approval.

She did all these things without looking back.

* * *

Erza was hanging from the balance of consciousness and the dream world when a knock on her door pulled her away from her drowsy state. Guessing that it might be Ultear going to comfort her in the middle of the night, she stood up and put on the brightest smile she could muster and form.

She practiced once before welcoming the visitor into the room.

The first thing she noticed was that it wasn't a face she was looking at, and second, that it was white and wrinkled and edgy.

It was a man's torso.

She brought her sienna orbs to face up and eventually, she came face to face with messy cerulean locks, glowing viridian eyes and the familiar red tattoo that decorated an aristocratic face.

"Jellal," she breathed and stood there frozen for a moment.

"Erza, right?" Before she could respond or even mutter a word, he pressed his lips on hers, and eventually, she felt her world falling in all the right places. He gripped her arms, applying the right amount of pressure to catch her attention.

"Can we talk?" he asked, breaking contact.

"We can talk until dawn if that's what you want." she smiled, circling her arms around his neck.

"I knew it." Jellal smiled handsomely.

Erza raised a brow at this, following the movement of his lips intently.

"Hmmm?" she hummed sweetly, feeling the time and moment she had lost being washed away and being replaced by this sweet, sweet, short moment.

Jellal brought their faces closer, and in the dark, Erza could subtly make up the expression on his face.

It was so vivid that her knees nearly caved in. But she didn't want to believe what she saw because she's tired. And her mind could be playing tricks on her. But the next thing clarified everything.

"J-Jellal?"

"Erza, I felt nothing when I kissed you."

A cold and hard expression with a dead tone of voice.

He had made his point.

No more witty conversations and teasing remarks.

No more warm hugs or head-spinning kisses.

No more heart-fluttering dates.

No more painted skies with twinkling stars.

No more glowing paper lanterns.

No more Erza.

No more them.

No more.

There's only Jellal and Ultear and that wooden door left open on purpose to draw the line that yes, she's not wanted anymore.

That yes, Jellal Fernandez' life had no more room for another person in his sad, sad life.

* * *

**A/N: Short? I know. :( Forgive me! T^T And I'm really sorry that I could only update once in a month(?) or even later :((( But I'm really really trying to update FASTER. :) Leave out your love 'kay? They keep me going and motivated. Crappy chap, I know :'(**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sequel to Of Halcyon Days and Folded Paper Cranes**

**Chasing Equations and Painting Radicals  
**_the hardest thing to let go is the one you never really had_

* * *

Purpose.

She used to serve a purpose.

As the Queen of Fairies, she used to control and direct spirits to the Heavens and act as a judge to determine whether they deserved to stay forever in the holy realms, or suffer greatly in the depths of hell.

As a War Goddess—ironically as the name suggests, she used to stop wars, not initiate them.

She used to have a purpose.

That was before when she thrived in the divine palace.

Now that she was human, her purpose—her plan was to meet once more with her beloved blue-haired man and spend the rest of her life together with him.

But things didn't go as planned. She didn't know if the Gods and Goddesses were messing with her—putting her on some sort of trial and making her an exclusive laughing stock back above—or life on Earth really screws everything up.

She had lost her purpose.

What was she supposed to do now?

That, she didn't know.

And that was something she feared she would have to find out sooner or later.

* * *

Erza failed to get some shuteye that night. She was torn between having to confront the ultramarine once again or continue wetting the sheets with buckets of her tears. And as her current situation had suggested, she picked the latter. But that didn't mean she wouldn't confront him once again, or make him remember everything.

The redhead waited patiently for the first streaks of the sunlight's rays to flood the expanse of the indigo painted sky before she made her move. It was at about six in the morning when she decided to head downstairs in hopes that she'd get a glimpse of Jellal.

As quietly and as casually as possible, she made her way towards the kitchen where she would start her search first.

She had hoped that she would bump to the dark-haired woman first, but when she turned her head to the right, Erza saw Jellal standing beside the restroom.

"Good morning."

The redhead was frozen in place.

She didn't know whether to be dumbfounded because Jellal had greeted her or that he was half-naked doing the laundry.

"Uh, I-I-I-"

Erza mentally cursed herself for stammering like a fool. She was a Goddess for Heaven's sake! Gods and Goddesses do NOT stutter!

Jellal raised an eyebrow at this, tilting his head at one side to question her inappropriate response.

"You okay?" his cool voice drew a high strung reply from her.

"Yes! I-I uh," biting her lower lip, the redhead could feel her cheeks glowing and heating up in the process. "just...I need water!"

She managed to blurt out and Jellal slowly dipped his head low as a frown made itself visible on his handsome face.

"The fridge's right behind you." he stated.

"R-Right!" Erza quickly spun sharply to avoid eye contact as she hastily opened the fridge. Jellal watched in unadulterated amusement as the redhead fumbled when she tried to pour water in the glass.

"So," Erza started after finally managing to take a huge gulp. "Where's Ultear?"

The blue-haired man only replied right after the spinning cycle stopped. He then faced Erza and told her about his boss's whereabouts.

"Work." his answer was clipped and firm. It was like he never wanted to start a conversation and that pained the redhead even more.

"Oh. And you don't have any?" she asked, trying once more.

The ultramarine released a tired sigh.

"She's my boss. I wanted to go back to work really. But she insisted that I should stay put and wait until I recover my memories." he took the washed clothes out and tossed in a couple more into the machine. He looked at her and motioned her to come to him. The redhead—without hesitating—took that opportunity as she put the glass down and walked towards him.

"Here." Jellal had handed her the laundry basket full of the clothes that he had finished washing. "Hang these up outside will you?"

Erza nodded as she reached for the basket.

Long and delicate fingertips brushed against strong and calloused hands. Feeling the intensity of the sudden touch, their eyes met.

Green clashed with brown, and for the longest second when they held each other's gazes, a longing seemed to arise bit by bit. Erza remembering that he had no memories of anything that was related to her, retracted her arms back.

"I'm sorry." she breathed out and dropped her gaze to the tiled floor. She expected him to give off a snort or a disheartened laughter, and realizing that she wouldn't be able to take that one, Erza chose to turn her back on him.

In that tiny gesture, Jellal itched to wrap his strong arms around her small frame that fitted his body perfectly. Wanted to whisper words that both of them longed to hear. Wanted to run his lips on her cheek and down the curvature of her neck and shoulder. He was already reaching out his hands, gently placing the palms on both her shoulders.

In that tiny gesture, something sparked up within her. Jellal slowly maneuvered her to face him and she was about to initiate the kiss she had planned out right from the start, were it not for the laundry basket that served as the barrier between them.

Erza blinked.

"The clothes." he flatly stated.

"Oh."

Disappointed she grabbed the offensive material and grunted as she placed it between her hip and arm.

_Damn!_

As she was heading outside, Jellal couldn't help but feel the blood rushing to his face, beautifully coloring his cheeks with the hue same as the former goddess' hair as he muttered to himself, cursing and grunting at the same time.

"That was close..."

* * *

**A/N: Yes I've finally updated and sadly this is the RAW FILE. *sighs* The update is slow (turtle-based pace), the story's loose, it gets shorter and shorter with every passing chap and I'm sadlysadlysadly losing my touch. D: What I'm feeling now is like 'I have to finish the story' and not 'I like to finish the story'. Bad pacing. Bad me. I want inspiration. I need motivation. D:**


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